Category Archives: #michelbycocowhitehead

Quincy Jones's interview with Vulture has been a doozy in every way imaginable. While the interview did provide great commentary on what he thinks about today's music industry and his relationship with Ivanka Trump, it also spilled some messy tea that has left a lot of people pissed off.

The super producer has made claims that iconic soul singer Marvin Gaye and comedian Richard Pryor had sexual relations with actor Marlon Brando. Richard Pryor's widow Jennifer Lee Pryor recently said that her deceased husband did have sex with Brando, stating "If you did enough cocaine, you'd f*** a radiator and send it flowers in the morning."

Yikes...

Old age is really doing a number on Q because he has forgotten that Black people don't let you just talk about their family members and get away with it. Richard's daughter, Rain Pryor fired up her fingers on social media and had this to say in response to the accusations:

Rain Pryor's Response via Facebook:

The raft of Rain wasn't the only thing coming for Quincy Jones today, because Marvin's sister Zeola Gay snatched a few of Q's whiskers too:

Zeola Gaye's Facebook Post:

Quincy Jones

To some, Quincy's interview was funny. I have even seen some say it's "for the culture." My question is whose culture? This is February, honey. Black History Month. Marvin Gaye is to us what Elvis, The Rolling Stones, and The Beatles (who Quincy also dissed) are to them. Notice it takes a collective of them to be mentioned in a sentence with Marvin. And yes, Richard Pryor has been caught in a few public scandals, but we still appreciate his legacy. So what is Quincy Jones trying to prove here? And why isn't he airing dirty laundry on celebrities who are actually ALIVE to confirm or deny his allegations?

It's been rumored that PLENTY more goes on than having 22 concubines in Q's Jook Joint, so he needs to talk about that instead! February is a short month, Quincy. Pour us some of your tea sooner than later.

Do you think Quincy's comments were detrimental to the legacies of Marvin Gaye and Richard Pryor?

A woman of the bayou pimping my pen because I'm scared of a day job. You can find me somewhere telling stories like Nas and Terry McMillan on April Fool's day. Writing is life so follow me on IG @cococurator

Hands down Congresswoman Maxine Waters is the most adored woman in modern politics. CNN’s Angela Rye refers to her as her mentor, and when Mother Maxine delivers a speech, the people sit up and pay attention—haters and fans alike. When you’ve got the gift of gab, you have influence and the ability to create a platform that gets you paid!

And speaking of pay, speaking for pay is an excellent way for entrepreneurs to showcase their expertise, attract their tribe, and make more money. Authenticity is always a must, but so is willingness to learn. If you want to be a highly sought-after speaker, you've got to study the greats, like Mother Maxine. Here are 5 pointers to take from the ultimate teacher!

Have you ever been to an event where the speaker made awkward jokes and fiddled around with her hair and clothes? Whether the behavior is done consciously or not, this denotes insecurity and anxiety. Maxine commands her audience at all times with direct eye contact.

Get To The Point

Ever been excited to watch someone’s Facebook Live only to log off because they spent too much time adjusting the camera angles or getting to the point? Maxine Waters does not come to play. She addresses the issues at hand and moves on to the next question like a boss. Don’t lose your audience by wasting their time.

Appeal To Your Audience

The reason we love Maxine Waters is because she speaks directly to our souls. To do this, a speaker must know who she is addressing. Ask yourself why did the audience sign up for the particular event you’re speaking at? What’s the conference theme? Answering these questions will help you to understand the audience’s concerns, and what they need to hear from you.

Know Your Stuff

Maxine Waters always comes with a stack of receipts to support her argument. You can tell that before any interview or debate, she is well rehearsed and armed with facts. You can’t convey an idea that you have little or fuzzy knowledge on. The more well-versed you are on the subject matter you speak on, the better you can express it in your speech.

Get Social

If no one has ever seen you in action, how do they know you’re the right person to book for the gig? Share videos and sound bites from recent and past speaking engagements to showcase what you can do. Post pictures of yourself attending events and engaging with the crowd. Doing so shows you’re in demand and allows you to charge what you’re worth. Make sure there is a link for bookings inquiries on all your social media networks. Check out @repmaxinewaters on Instagram for some inspiration!

How do you slay at the podium?A woman of the bayou pimping my pen because I'm scared of a day job. You can find me somewhere telling stories like Nas and Terry McMillan on April Fool's day. Writing is life so follow me on IG @cococurator

Malcolm X was right; the Black woman in the most disrespected person in America. 2018 is coming off as the year to play aloof to the concerns of Black women. According to some, Ciara deserves backlash for asking women to value themselves more, Amara la Negra needs to assimilate and stop talking about colorism, and Monique needs to shut up and be happy Netflix offered her $500,000… I’m sorry, but where was everyone when Oprah said speaking your truth is the most powerful tool we all have? I’m just asking.

Is Monique the most decorated? I really don’t know, and I don’t have time to research the décor. However, I do think she is a talented woman and half a million dollars is an insult for someone who has achieved what she’s achieved, no matter how long ago The Parkers aired, no matter if Queens of Comedy had other comediennes on the ticket, or if she deserved the Oscar for her performance in Precious. At this stage in my life, there are certain pay rates and situations I will not entertain because I am beyond what is being presented to me. Much like Monique’s alleged decorations, my credentials and self-esteem are valid reasons for me to not accept certain crap. What sensible human being doesn’t feel that way?

Monique Ocar Win for the movie Precious

Will I be boycotting Netflix? Nope. But I do believe that Monique’s decision to stand up for herself based on what she knows about her accolades is valid, just like my friend Keisha feels about why certain employers choose to hire people who look like Kelly Bundy with the brains of Kelly’s nail polish.

We have got to stop turning a deaf ear to the message just because we don’t like the messenger. Intelligent people know how to think critically. They eat the meat and throw away the bones. (Maybe I shouldn’t have said meat; we criticize people for not going vegan these days as well! See how this whole being dismissive thing is getting out of control?) Monique might be crazy, but she’s not hallucinating. There is a problem with Black women getting what they truly deserve in Hollywood and life in general. Did we not see the superb success of Girls Trip last summer and how it later got snubbed at the Golden Globes? Okay, I thought so. Seek to understand if you wish to be understood. That is all. Now can we stop going off on Monique?

Do you support Monique?

A woman of the bayou pimping my pen because I'm scared of a day job. You can find me somewhere telling stories like Nas and Terry McMillan on April Fool's day. Writing is life so follow me on IG @cococurator

Unless you live under a pop culture rock, you have seen the wonder that is Amara la Negra by now. Her flawless skin and larger than life hair, are hard to miss. However, the Love n Hip Hop Miami breakout star is more than a pretty face and booty bouncing music. She’s actually got something to say and unfortunately, Charlamagne and Dj Envy didn’t seem to grasp that when she appeared on Monday’s Breakfast Club interview. Then again, I’m not sure if these guys were asking tactless questions just for the sake of making the interview juicier. Nonetheless, they acted as if they couldn’t understand Amara’s stance on the discrimination she faces as a dark-skinned Afro-Latina trying to crossover into the American market. Regardless, Amara’s story line is making the world indulge in conversation that has been swept under the rug for decades. What's the topic of conversation you ask? C-O-L-O-R-I-S-M. Colorism.

At the 75th Golden Globes Oprah Winfrey said, “What I know for sure is that speaking your truth is the most powerful tool that we all have.” Amara is definitely speaking her truth, regardless if some people pretend not to get it.

Colorism is the discrimination of a person because of the lightness or darkness of his or her skin. This type of discrimination can also be shown to men and women by their own race. I know people will argue that colorism is a direct behavioral and psychological screw up that stems from slavery, and I wholeheartedly agree with them. But now it's time for people of color to take responsibility and undo all that foolery by embracing themselves in all varieties and flavors of Black.A few years ago, veteran actor and director Bill Duke did a powerful documentary called Dark Girls that aired on the OWN network. It. Was. Phenomenal. It allowed women to talk about their experiences with loving the skin they're in. Would you believe there were people who said the documentary was "alright" and even unnecessary? Some even pulled an All Lives Matter move and said light skin women face more hate than dark skin women, when in fact both groups, male and female, face equal bashing by people who share the same racial background as them. Don't act like you haven't seen the memes on Instagram.

Mr. Duke did in fact release a film called Light Girls shortly after Dark Girls, yet people still complained, rather than value the lessons in both of his documentaries. But here's some truth tea: When God wants to open your eyes to something and you ignore it, it remerges. And that's why Amara la Negra and all her bold blackness is on and poppin' for such a time as this.

Giving props where it’s due, Love n Hip Hop Miami is the most thought-provoking production Mona Scott has assembled. Kudos to her! I don't care that Amara’s platform for the message is ratchet reality TV; that's honestly where it needs to be. Just last year some fool from another Love n Hip Hop cast said ignorant things about passing a brown paper bag test. So, it seems to me that Amara la Negra is positioned in the right place at the right time to declare the right message. So for all those who are tired of seeing us rave and Stan for Amara, get over it. She's an international treasure. We're celebrating her all year long like healthy edges and good credit, okay?

How do you feel we should address colorism in the black community?

A woman of the bayou pimping my pen because I'm scared of a day job. You can find me somewhere telling stories like Nas and Terry McMillan on April Fool's day. Writing is life so follow me on IG @cococurator